Red Sleeper

I saw my first Smart car today but from a good distance. It stands out big time. I kind of liked it but it sure is small. I looked it up on Edmund's and also checked it out on ebay and found that they are WAY over priced so much so that believe they will flop unless they get the pricing in order.

lt4dogman

I first saw them in Germany in 1998, seems like they were selling for DM 20,000 (about USD $12,000).

johnei

Yesterday I read that they have 20,000 deposits for the car in the US. If I actually needed to drive around the city more I might consider one, but I don't.

ukmac

Hello,I wonder which Smart you are reffering to. My wife purchaced one when they first came out in the U.K.( 7 years ago) Initially they were all left hand drive. My wife loved it, but it was small, very small.Over here you either like them or you don't, there is no in between.We eventually handed it down to our daughter, who still owns it. After a brief time with a PT cruiser, my wife went back to a Smart (cruiser was too big she said), she purchaced one of the Smart roadsters. This is a totally different vehicle, very low (very much like a lotus elise), she loves it.The first Smarts had body coloured plastic panels(interchangeable),so no car park dinks. The later ones still have plastic panels, but now they are spray painted.

Red Sleeper

I'm referring to the sub compact as in this site:

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/

ukmac

Yes I see. That model is called the 'four two' over here. That is the same as the vehicle my wife purchased 7 years ago. The model that she has now, is called a smart roadster, and is a much different vehicle. I believe that smart have now stopped production of the roadster, as i am led to believe that thay have yet to make a profit on any roadsters. When I last heard A.C. were looking to take over the model and sell them under the AC brand (yes the same brand as the famous AC Cobra).Obviously they will be making changes, mainly to the gearbox I believe. Currently it is a fully automatic set up with the option to use either fully auto, or clutchless tiptronic or paddle shift----it comes with all 3 options--you choose which method you prefer.

lt4dogman

here's a Roadster Smart
http://www.mobile.de/SIDpHXj9adDZOVh...1111248318752&

MIKE-C5

I used to live in Mexico City and its pretty popular.just dont get rear ended! !
Superbly

Manufactured

And

Reliable

Transportation!

ukmac

Thought you may be interested in these pics.

jwight

That website is for a grey market importer of Smart cars; they bring in the Euro version and upgrade them ($$$) to meet federal standards. They are not the official importers of the 2008 Smart cars. That website is:

http://www.smartusa.com/

The officially imported and certified cars will range from around $12K to $17K and should get around 40 mpg. $99 reservation program is still open. BTW, the 08 cars are slightly larger (relative term ) than the first generation Smarts.

Chevy Guy

Mercedes is supposed to start selling them in the US soon.

jwight

smart is a part of Mercedes, but the cars will be imported by:

"smart USA, a division of Penske Automotive Group, is the exclusive distributor for smart in North America and Puerto Rico. smart USA is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan."

They're setting up the dealer network now and the cars should be available in the first part of 2008.